The present invention relates generally to interactive video systems and to improvements in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,695,953 and 4,711,543 entitled TV Animation Interactively Controlled by the Viewer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus wherein a viewer dynamically interacts with an animated video presentation to control action sequences and enable rapid and repeated switching of multiple tracks of recorded data representing different actions while retaining a continuous action sequence, and enable branching at the termination of an action sequence by effecting track rewind.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,953 teaches a double-circuit video system that in one embodiment enables a player to repeatedly touch or hit an animated character during a continuous action scene as displayed on a projection screen or video monitor and thus change the action repeatedly. Another embodiment enables a player to swing a racket before the screen or video monitor, hit the mid-air projected image of a perspective ball animated action, return the ball back to the animated character opponent, and play a simulated game during which the player exercises the same skill used to play the game simulated. An ultrasonic transducer in a playing instrument and a microphone combination disposed on the video monitor face or at angles to the playing action permits the calculation of a signal representing the monitor contact position or the mid-air position of the playing instrument action relating to the game. The signal thus calculated is compared to a similar representation of the position of the character or object in the associated frame of the animation displayed by the video monitor and digitally coded on tape or disc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,543 teaches a method of animation to provide smooth animation displayed on the video monitor of a continuous action scene during rapid and repeated switching of multiple tracks of data representing different animation action sequences.
While the interactive video systems disclosed by the above-cited U.S. patents admirably fulfill the roles of educational and amusement systems, it is a primary objective of the present invention to extend the capabilities and effectiveness of such systems.